The Mary Sue Gift Guide: For the Podcast Fan in Your Life
If you’re like me, then the only consolation some days in this cold, creepy world is the comforting sound … of a podcast. And sure, maybe we’re listening to something about murder or the Loch Ness monster, but there’s just something cozy about podcasts. And the good news for those of you who love us pod people? Our nerdy obsession makes us very easy to buy for.
Spooky season may be over for some people, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t keep the creepiness of Aaron Mahnke’s Lore with you all year. The Lore fan in your life will love one or all of the series of books by Mahnke that take a deeper look at the darkest history and legends from around the world.
Now this one is a sort of meta recommendation because I first heard about the Deadbolt Mystery Society … on a podcast! But if there’s one thing that we all know podcast listeners enjoy, it’s murder! Not committing it (hopefully) but solving it, and the Deadbolt Mystery Society boxes let you do just that. You can give your loved one just one or a whole subscription. Each “new mystery box filled with puzzles, evidence, and interviews will be delivered to your door. Each box is a standalone mystery that requires no additional boxes to complete.” So you can live an episode of Serial after you listen to one!
The Adventure Zone Bureau Of Balance Game
Now, this amazing new game from the McElroys and Twogether studios isn’t out yet, but it will be available to purchase before Christmas and it’s the perfect gift for any fan of The Adventure Zone. This is a collaborative storytelling game, based on the “Balance” arc of the wildly popular podcast (now also a series of fantastic graphic novels). Here’s what the McElroys had to say when the game was announced:
Designed by Twogether Studios’ Keith Baker and Jenn Ellis, and illustrated by Hari Conner, TAZ: Bureau of Balance is a storytelling card game that lets you and your friends build your own stories in the world of The Adventure Zone: Balance. It’s an easy to learn and accessible game that doesn’t require any experience with fantasy roleplaying games or deep knowledge of The Adventure Zone; all you need is a few friends, an hour, and a little creativity. (Don’t worry, you will get to roll a twenty sided die!)
Call me Magnus because I’m rushing in to get this!
Fake Doctors, Real Friends Gear
We love a good rewatch podcast, and we love us some Scrubs, so of course, we love Fake Doctors, Real Friends as hosted by Zach Braff and Donald Faison (and friend of the Sue, Joelle Monique!). It’s a fun, sweet show with some sweet merch, because who wouldn’t want a towel with J.D. and Turk’s faces on it!?
I am personally, completely obsessed with the Noble Blood podcast from Dana Schwartz. I love the scandalous and murderous tales of royals throughout the world, and how Schwartz lets us step into the shoes of queens and princes with tragic fates. No one exemplifies that better than Marie Antoinette, and so why not go deeper and sip some of her tea? Well, here’s a tea dedicated to her and, get this, “flavoured with the apples exclusively grown at the Versailles palace garden!” The perfect gift for any aspiring royal in your life.
Spell Kits from That Witch Life
There are a lot of great podcasts out there for all you witchy types, but our favorite is That Witch Life. Not only are these witches up for chatting with us about The Craft, they’re making spell kits for anyone who wants to get their magic on. They currently have a kit on sale for an ancestor connection spell, but there are more on the way for the new moon, full moon, and Yule. Since Christmas is the most pagan holiday, why not add these to your Yule list for the witch in your life?
The thing about listening to podcasts is it makes you want to start your own. And the great thing is … it’s not too hard. But the first thing your aspiring podcaster will need is a quality microphone and you can’t do better than one from Blue. The “Yeti” is their most popular model and there’s a reason why. It’s functional, easy to use, and reliable. It’s what I use for my own podcast and so I highly recommend it for all the pod people in your life.
(Image: First Second)
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